The Priory House refurbishment project has been made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to continue the restoration project.
The Priory House Restoration Project commenced on site in September 2022 as part of the Dunstable High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ). The work has uncovered several unforeseen issues since September 2022. In October 2023 we were delighted to announce that Dunstable Town Council had secured £1,142,730 of funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to allow the Priory House project to continue.
Why could the issues not have been identified before the site work commenced?
Planning for the building work started in August 2020 and a lot of specialists inputted into investigations and planning between then and September 2022. Despite all the detailed preparatory work there was no way of foreseeing some of the issues that could only have been identified once the project team started taking the inside apart to carry out the necessary repairs and refurbishment.
A lot of the unforeseen issues relate to the numerous changes that have been made to the building over the years. The building has been vastly altered, extended, and renovated to allow for different uses. These changes and earlier repair works have resulted in hidden defects that were only found in May 2023. This meant that the scope of the project grew considerably from the original plans, and with that so did the costs.
Dunstable Town Council submitted a grant application to the NLHF in August 2023 and found out in September that the bid for £1,142,730 had been successful. This is fantastic news as it will allow the work to Priory House to be continue. This will include the originally planned refurbishment to the Undercroft (vaulted room) and façade, along with previously unplanned works to the second floor to improve the structural integrity of the building.
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Thanks to further successful funding applications to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, the restoration of Priory House is now scheduled for completion in summer 2026.
Since September 2022, this Grade II* listed building has been undergoing extensive repair work, with the initial work set to be focused on the Undercroft. Originally, the project was expected to take nine months. Since then, Priory House has revealed a number of challenges and interesting finds along the way, from straw platting (from its time as a hat factory), a clay pipe and more. However, the extent of urgent repairs and making good has far exceeded original expectations.
Whilst completion might still seem a long way off, the partial removal of scaffolding on the High Street façade, gives an indication of the outstanding work and craftmanship that has been carried out to date. Inside, two of the stone Undercroft bays have been fully repaired and the internal east wall is being stabilised, both essential and critical steps forward towards reopening the building to the public.
Dunstable Town Council remains dedicated to ensuring that Priory House continues to be a vital part of the town’s High Street and heritage. We appreciate your continued interest and will keep providing updates on our website as progress continues.
If you have any specific queries relating to the project please email info@dunstable.gov.uk
